As James left Pallet Town with his newfound charmander, he casually tossed the pokeball in his hand curiously, still not entirely familiar with its mechanic despite Kirie explaining it all to him.
	"So you're saying ANY pokemon can get inside these little balls?"
	Yes.  It involves a digital teleportational transfer by deconstructing the structure of a pokemon into the ball.  Once inside, they are placed within a virtually soothing habitat until they are summoned out of the pokeball.
	"That...is...really weird."
	Indeed, such technology has existed for a long time, to this day people are still uncertain as to how it truly works.
	"Oh so like magnets then."
Kirie looked at him oddly as they made their way towards Viridian City while veering towards the general direction of the Pokemart, a small store chain across the entire island that sold all sorts of amenities for the average wandering pokemon trainer.  Taking time to relax upon what James now knew as Route 1 according to the map, he looked at his charmander and asked:
	"Hey you wanna sit in your pokeball awhile?"
	"Char."
The creature shook its head meaning not now.
	"Do you even like it in your pokeball?"
	"Chaaar, char-char, char-charmander."
	"...dammit I wish I understood what you were saying."
	He means sometimes he does, but other times he prefers to be out in the open.  The only reason one carries a pokemon in a pokeball is for travelling convenience.  It is recommended that one should allow them to roam outside of their pokeballs every once a while, at least twice a day to let them reacquaint with the world around them.
	"Fair enough.  So, we passed by Viridian City real quick before, any reason?"
	There is little here for us.  The gym leader here is very strong, too strong for us to face.  We should however obtain some supplies for the road ahead.
	"Alright...what's this Indigo Plateau to the west?"
	That is where the Elite Four are, the greatest of Pokemon masters upon this island.  To face them would mark you as a true master amongst them.  But we do not have to concern ourselves with them.  At most we must defeat two gym leaders in order for our mission to succeed.
	"You still haven't told me WHAT this mission is Kirie."
	I will not explain until it is necessary.  You must face the two gym leaders of Pewter City and Cerulean City which we have passed through.  Obtaining the two badges that they shall give you as part of your victory, will allow us to continue further.  If you so wish to face against other gym leaders along the way, I will not stop you, but you must have a strong and capable team.
	"Alright then...well I only got you and charmander over here...actually, now that I guess you're with us charmander, maybe you want a name too?"

A small glimmer of hope in his eyes made him speak with excitement, babbling away words that Kirie translated for him.
	He says he would appreciate a name greatly, since his previous trainer was so stupid and unimaginative to not even give him one.
	"Hah, alright...got any suggestions, let's treat it like a nickname for ya.  What stuff do you like?"
A short time of pondering would come before the creature replied with an idea of a name or several even, to which Kirie translated.  The charmander seemed to try to describe sunsets, fire trucks, and volcanos.  James noticed a theme and decided to say:
	"Tell you what, I'm gonna call you Red.  Whatcha think?"
Charmander pondered this for a bit before nodding happily at the name, chirring sweetly before they had fully passed through the small Viridian City and onwards to the neighbouring forest.  He stepped into the Pokemart before leaving however, to obtain some supplies with the money Kirie had given him upon entering this world.  At her recommendation, he bought himself 5 pokeballs, 2 antidotes and a potion.  After leaving Viridian City, James decided to stop and move Red to some bushes at the base of the nearby forest, deciding now was the time.
	"Before we go any further...I want to show you something.  Now, don't worry I'm not gonna do anything weird but...I have this big secret and I'm gonna trust you with it.  Kirie, tell him that too."
The lizard looked nervous all of a sudden, but Kirie made reassurance to Red as she slowly began to lift the illusion and reveal the raptor's true form.  The charmander squeaked in panic, seeing the human flesh melt away to reveal a brown-scaled velociraptor, with green eyes and purple stripes on his snout and back, a tail waving behind him.  But the ghost soothed him still and kept him reassured.
	"I know I know it's scary...but I'm not from this world...and I'm not a Pokemon either.  I'm just a fellow reptile, like you.  Kirie here, we met in another world, and she wanted me to help her out with something.  Now I have no idea what you pokemon really are, but I wanna help you.  Do you trust me?"
The charmander, despite the fact this "human" had rescued him from his previous trainer, was now rather overwhelmed and tried to debate on what.  He considered running away, finding this all to be far too weird.  But he also realised that the great big world out there was far too unfamiliar and scary to such a little creature like him.  Eventually, seeing perhaps an empathy within the fellow reptile's eyes, he nodded slowly, offering his tiny claws which James shook.
	"Good.  My name IS James though, so don't fret.  Don't call me master or sir or anything weird like that, just James okay?"
	"Charmander."
	"Hah, right.  So...Red...what DO you want out of life?  I mean, let's face it."

He sat down in the hidden side of the forest outskirts and invited Red to sit with him, wanting to build his trust.
	"You got given to a trainer, you got pushed too far, things didn't work out.  But what do YOU want?  I know it's a lot to ask when we only just met, but I wanna clear things out now.  I just don't think it's fair if you keep travelling with me without me even knowing what you want, right?"
	"Char!" nodded Red.
	"And really, what DO you wanna do?  I mean I hear people around here use pokemon to fight and to have friends.  Is that what you want?"
	"Char."
	"Well...tell me what you want, and Kirie here will tell me.  Be totally honest because...well, I'm gonna need someone to help me get ahead in this world.  See, I need to get two gym badges, at least.  And I'm gonna need a good team to get me there.  If you wanna know why, ask Kirie cuz she sure as hell won't tell me.  But all I know is, I was brought here to help her out, but I can't do it alone.  Will you help me?"
The charmander scratched his head trying to take it all in, the strange creature who had now become his trainer starting to fascinate him more and more.  Eventually speaking his mind in quite a long answer, Kirie would eventually translate what he had replied.
	He says that since you are now his trainer, he is therefore indebted to you and must therefore fight for you.  However, he appreciates the fact that you want to give him his freedom and allow him to do whatever he himself wants.  As for what he wants out of life, he does not know yet, for he has not seen enough of the world to know what he wants.  I have suggested to Red that he should learn to grow stronger, so long as you do not push him too hard.
	"That I can totally do.  Alright, glad we got that out of the way, now...why don't we see what you can do battle-wise huh?"
The charmander nodded as James was once again covered within the human illusion, heading out into the long grass with Red to see what moves he possessed.  While his pokedex did give him information on what moves both his current pokemon possessed, he was still curious to see them in action.  Luckily, a small purple rat came by to become a practice target, which James found out was called:
	"Rattata, a mouse pokemon, number nineteen.  Possesses the ability "Guts".  Bites anything when it attacks.  Small and very quick, it is a common sight in many places."
	"Alright," said James, "this li'l bitch'll be easy, you ready Red?"
	"Char!"
	"Alright, Scratch!"

The faster lizard rushed forwards with his tiny claws, striking across the purple rat's face hard as it stepped back with a shriek.  Baring its teeth, it tackled Red hard into the gut, making him wince.
	"Not bad, don't worry!  Alright now, Growl!"
Red snarled as best as he could, bearing his teeth which to James sounded incredibly adorable.  The rat however started to back off, looking fearful and turning less confident in itself.  It did however try to wag its tail threateningly, which slightly distracted Red and made him lower his guard.
	"That's right Red, make him know you mean business!  Now, you got one last move right?"
	"Char-char!"
	"Alright, now Ember!"
With a grin of confidence, Red spun in a circle with his tail swishing out, the fiery tip sending out a hot shower of small sparking flames that streaked across the rattata.  With a screech of pain, it fell within defeat, not dead but simply too weak to keep fighting.
	"Nice work Red!"
	"Char!"
	"So that's all your moves huh?  Well I don't see how Pewter Gym is gonna be bad for ya, I mean we can just walk right on in and-"
	"CHAR!"
	"Huh?"
The charmander suddenly lost all confidence at the mention of the gym, whimpering and turning incredibly nervous.  Kirie translated.
	He is afraid to go back to the Pewter City Gym.  He says that there was a most terrifying opponent for him that he could barely even touch.
	"What...kind of opponent?"
	He describes it as...some sort of enormous snake made out of boulders.  He had never seen such a creature before, and it terrified him to no end.
	"...seriously?  ...like, seriously?  Alright, look, that only means we gotta be stronger then.  We can take our time, build you up a bit, maybe grab ourselves a new pokemon or so to help you out.  Don't worry."
James patted Red on the shoulder to reassure him.
	"If anything gets too much for you, it's okay to run and stop fighting.  Trust me, you don't wanna get your ass beaten into the ground just to prove you're the strongest, okay?"
	"Char-char."
	"Alright.  Now, let's test out your moves a bit with a few new enemies.  You ready to head on into the forest?"
The creature whimpered nervously, pointing out towards the safer grassy plains with a wilting sense of confidence.  James understood, being as patient as he could with him as if he were a child.  To James' eyes, the charmander practically was.
	"Alright, no problem, let's keep testing your skills here."
Several rattatas later, the charmander became more confident in his abilities concerning Scratch and Ember, his only two real offensive moves.  James pondered on obtaining at least one more pokemon for his travels, but decided not to pick such weak animals.  The rattata was simply a small rodent, and he saw no potential in its offensive capabilities.  The only other animal around, a brown-feathered bird known as a Pidgey, offered some potential in being able to summon gusts of wind, but he felt more confident about having just the charmander.
After they trained enough, they headed into the Viridian Forest to test their new strength.  James was rather thankful that the forest was so lush and thick with greenery, as it allowed him to walk unseen in his true form.  Nearer towards the late afternoon, the forest began to turn a shade of darkness, the shadows growing larger beneath the trees as the sky began to softly tint away from clear blue.  But there was still time to pass through the forest before it turned dark.

The creatures were starting to become a little less active, which made things easier in their navigation as the various bugs started to flitter or scurry away into the trees and bushes.  But there always still lied the problem of encountering the odd green caterpillar or brown poisonous-looking worm within the undergrowth.  Most of the time, they did not look for a fight with the raptor and his charge.  But occasionally some of them did, and so Red was forced to do battle, with Kirie on guard in case he needed help.
For the most part, Red had no problem dispatching the green wiggly Caterpies as James' pokedex called them.  They were non-poisonous and not particularly tough, just rather annoying due to their tendency to shoot silk strings all over Red, slowing him down with its surprisingly viscous goo.
	"Ewwww you got jizzed on by a bug," said James with a filthy smirk, "pffthahaha, you better call him a cab now Red, so he don't stay the night with ya."
	"CH-CHAR CHAR!  Chaa-a-a-a-a-aaaar!"
	"Awww I'm sorry cutie, come 'ere."
Picking up Red who was rather annoyed by the string silk, James cleaned it off and gently petted him to reassure Red before putting him back down.  Kirie chuckled in James' mind beside him.
	With such vulgar humour I weep for your children.
	"Heh, good thing I don't got any."
	Don't be so sure, you have plenty of life and fertility left in you.
	"Hah, uh...thanks?  Come on, let's head on an-woah woah hold up."
In the midst of the grass was one rather angry-looking brown worm of a single foot tall, with a sharp-looking spike on its head.  They had seen several of them before, but none were was irascible as this.  Stabbing at the grass with a fury that James only found to be adorable, he pulled out his pokedex, having forgotten to do so before for this species.
	"Weedle, a hairy bug pokemon, number thirteen.  Possesses the ability "Shield Dust".  Often found in forests, eating leaves. It has a sharp, venomous stinger on its head."
	"Wow thanks captain obvious, wanna tell us what colour he is too?"
At saying this, the weedle turned round as they saw its eyes light up with a fury unbound.  James was surprised to see a bug of all creatures being this fierce.  But it stuck out to him more than any other he had seen in this forest, and he decided to test his beginning skill as a trainer.  Already the little worm was itching for a fight, wriggling its body forward inch by inch with barely-contained fury.
	"Hohohooooo I like this one, he's full of rage."
	Does he remind you of yourself?
	"Hey, I'm not a bug!"
	To a god you are.
	"...whatever, Red, this is it.  Now I don't want this guy KO'd, I just want him beaten down enough, alrighty?"
	"Char!"
	"Right, let's do this, give 'im a good scratch first!"
Red waited for his chance before rushing forwards to strike the weedle across the face, smacking his claws across the bulbous nose as the little bug tumbled and rolled back into the grass.  Shaking itself clear, it blistered with fury in its eyes before leaping straight towards Red, its piercing pointed tip on top of its head heading straight for him.  Luckily the charmander dodged, but the weedle was not going to stop at just the one.
	"Scratch 'im again," said FG, "beat his ass until he can barely fight!"
Swiftly coming in close to strike it once again, the charmander knocked back the weedle who retaliated with a shot of string silk.  It did the trick in slowing down the fire lizard who cringed visibly so from the sticky substance, trying to jerk his feet free from it.
	"AWWWW BUG JIIIIZZ!" said James.
	"CHAAAAR!"
	"OKAY sorry it's not bug jizz it's just spider silk even though it's not a-RED, WATCH OUT!"

In his distraction as well as being slowed down, the charmander turned to see a brown little missile hurl itself towards him, jabbing its pointed tip hard into his little waist.  Squeaking from pain, Red fell back and whimpered as an all-new effect started to take hold of him.  The jabbed area of his body also started to swell, and turn purple quickly.
	"OH, dammit!" said FG.
	Poison!  I hope you have an antidote on you.
	"I do, but first we gotta make sure this guy doesn't do it again!  Red, scratch his face off!"
	"Chaaaaaarrrrr!"
The little lizard was now slowed down and weakening from poison, shivering as he stumbled forwards and swung with all his might, striking the weedle hard across the face in retaliation.  The weedle in turn tried to poison him once more with another stab of its vile tip, jabbing Red once again around the arm which also started to swell a small zit.  Despite the growing lethargy within Red, he kept up his strength, looking up to James who said:
	"You can do this Red, come on fight the pain!  He'll just keep stabbing you with his poison until you knock his ass flat!"
Understanding this, the charmander swung once again with a hurling strike of his little claws, smacking the weedle down as it soon became weakened enough to be hesitant about fighting back.  The little bug tried instead to shoot more of its string silk onto Red, who was getting incredibly tired of this move already from how much it sapped any way for him to move.  The raptor however was glad that it was getting nervous, as Kirie said:
	He's weak, capture him now!
	"Alright here we go!"
Pulling out the small red-and-white sphere from his satchel, he grasped it in both hands and began to throw it like he were pitching a baseball into someone's skull.
	"POKEBAAAAAAALLLLL GO!"
The moment it impacted upon the soft brown body, despite the hurtling speed it had been thrown at, the ball opened up and shot out a piercing red light, covering the entire creature before it suddenly dematerialised into it.  The strange red aura suddenly slipped back into the ball, taking the weedle with it who had disappeared like a shot, trapped within the sphere as it began to wobble intensely.

All eyes were now on the pokeball wobbling back and forth.  One shake.  Two shake.  Three shake.  James gripped his fist hard with determination, struggling to will the ball into staying shut, clenching his teeth with a furious urge.  Soon the ball ceased its movement, as a satisfying click sounded out from it.  Kirie smiled with pride at the newbie trainer.
	Congratulations, you have caught your first wild pokemon.
	"Wha-REALLY!?  ...hah...hahaha...HELLLLLZ YEAAAAH!"
Rushing over towards it, he grabbed the ball and proudly proclaimed with arm outstretched:
	"I GOT ME A BUG BOY!"
	Weedle.
	"WHATEVER!  Now let's get you all patched up before we make you a new friend huh Red?"
	"Ch-char...char."
The slightly-pale charmander nodded softly as James applied the antidote, perking up his health back to normal within a matter of seconds.  He was surprised at how fast the medicine worked in this world, wondering if it only worked on pokemon as the poisonous welts started to shrink back to healthy orange skin.  Hugging the charmander out of gratitude, the raptor rubbed his charge's head before Kirie said:
	It would be wise that we make our way back to the Pokemon Center in Viridian City before we attempt anymore training.  Your weedle will also still be weak from its battle with you.  I would have suggested not giving Red the antidote and taking him back to the Center to be healed but-
	"No way, I don't want this little guy fainting on the way back, I can always find or buy another one.  Can't be THAT hard to get money around here right?"
	You're the trainer, James, I am simply a guide.
	"Alright.  Well Red let's get you healed up, wanna take a rest in your ball?"
	"Char-char."
The little charmander nodded, and waited to be taken into his portable storage.  James had never done this before, as he cautiously stood holding Red's ball towards him before proclaiming:
	"Red, return!"
At this simple command, Red was enveloped within a red laser light much like the weedle had been upon capture, before his form disappeared and was sucked into the pokeball.
	"Is he...okay in there?" asked James.
	Yes, he will be fine.  Now let us head back to the Center.  It is getting late and we should rest.
Heading back to Viridian City with his disguise of Kirie's illusion, they quickly healed up their wounds through the normal means of the Pokemon Center. staying overnight as the sun began to set.  Traditionally, pokeballs would be handed over to the nurse, who would soon put them into some sort of incubating machine that healed their wounds almost instantly.  James could only begin to ponder on what sort of digitised healing technology was involved, looking down onto his hands and wondering about how his nanos would heal him.
After heading back towards the Viridian Forest, James brought out both Red and the weedle, who had seemed to calm down now that it had acknowledged its new master.
	"Alright li'l guy, you're one of us now.  I'm James, this is Red, and that's Kirie."

Both Red and Kirie introduced themselves to the weedle, who despite being polite to the haunter was a little frosty towards Red.  The charmander however tried to make peace, with Kirie translating:
	Red is trying to smooth things over with the weedle, complimenting him on his battle tactics and how sore the poison was.  He also notes how irritating the silk was in slowing him down, which the weedle appreciates hearing.  They both accept each other now as allies, so we may move on with training.  I have also noted some other trainers in the area we may be able to fight against.
	"Awesome," said FG, "that means we got some asses to kick.  Firstly, what name do we give you bug boy?"
The weedle looked up at James oddly, gently crawling forwards as its tip glinted in the sunlight.
	"...hey, there's an idea, how about Spike?"
	Hmm?
	"Yeah, come on, look at this guy, that nasty spike on top of his head, that and you're kind of a punk too which I like.  Whaddaya say Spike?"
The worm seemed to smile at such a rough-sounding name, nodding happily as he started to talk more in his own language to both Kirie and Red, the ghost translating:
	He is pleased with the name, it makes him sound tough.  He will gladly fight alongside you for a chance to grow stronger and to beat as many pokemon as he can.  I suggest we train him to a reasonable level, at least level seven.
	"Alright now THAT'S what I like to hear!  Okay, how about we train you up against some of the scrubs around here then we take on a trainer?"
Agreeing to this, Spike began fighting off other insects in the area around him to gain strength, which due to the weaker nature of bugs overall took quite a while.  Yet James was patient, knowing that Kirie had been encouraging him to grow a strong and capable team.  She also wanted to encourage James to train up Spike for another reason that she was aware of.
He was surprised however that there was such a thing as "levels" to monitor a pokemon's progress, indicated by Kirie.  She explained normally that there was a device of some sort that would allow one to see each pokemon's levels and stats, but she had been unable to procure one of these for James.  Soon however his attention was taken by a strange event, happening within Spike's vicinity.  After a successful smackdown on a particularly high-level caterpie, Spike the weedle was soon enveloped by a strange white light, the raptor stuttering:
	"W-w-woah woah what's happening?!"
	Ah, yes!  He is evolving!
	"Evolving?!  They DO that?!"
	All pokemon can.  Even I can do so under...special circumstances.
	"Wh-what's gonna happen?!"
	Let it happen...he will grow stronger for it.

Trusting in his spirit friend, James stood back with Red and watched the weedle's outline within the white shining light.  Slowly his form began to fade, rearranging itself into an even stranger shape.  The sounds of cracking snaps came from Spike, as his body began to lengthen, transform and harden.  Soon, the little bug had grown into a whole new shape and size, from a 1-foot-tall brown worm, into a 2-foot tall yellow cocoon with eyes.  As the light began to fade away, James asked cautiously:
	"...Spike?  That you?"
The cocoon wiggled softly in indication, to which Kirie nodded that it was still the same creature.
	"...hah...wow um...you...turned into a...thingy."
	A cocoon.
	"Right.  Well uh, you're not gonna be that agile are ya?"
	Not exactly, for it has learnt the move Harden in order to defend itself against enemies.  Where it lacks in speed, it makes up for in defence.
	"Right...this is some pretty fast evolution though, I mean one level up and boom, you're a new creature?  Lemme check this."
He pulled out his pokedex and registered his newly-formed friend.
	"Kakuna, a cocoon pokemon, number fourteen.  Possesses the ability "Shed Skin".  Almost incapable of moving, this Pokemon can only harden its shell to protect itself from predators."
	"Right, thanks.  Well Spike if it's still you I guess you toughened up plenty huh?  ...not even gonna say anything huh?"
	Give him time.  He is still the same, he just needs a battle to prove himself.
	"...battle huh?  Alright, I think I saw some people over there, cover me."
Changing FG's appearance to a human once more, Kirie followed alongside as he put Spike and Red back into their pokeballs.  He was intrigued to see how his first battle would go against a fellow trainer, even if said first trainer was a young boy with a butterfly net.  The boy wore a sunhat to cover his head while wearing white clothes and blue shorts, swinging his net cautiously in the tall grass.  James felt a little uncertain however and cautiously asked:
	"...should I really fight a kid on this?"
	Yes.  You must show no mercy within the field of battle in the world of pokemon.  That may be a small child, but he may be wielding a creature of mass destruction.
	"...they're fucking bugs."
	These ones are...for now.  But later on you will find young and old humans in other areas with even more dangerous creatures.  Mercy is only for your own team and friends.
	"Right...okay.  Hey there!"

He strided out of the trees towards the little boy, who locked eyes on him and swiftly put away his net.
	"Wassup?!  Saw you passing through here yesterday."
	"Yeah well, being a trainer's all about work sometimes."
	"Yer a trainer?!  ...pretty old arentcha?!"
	"Hey everyone's gotta start somewhere."
	"Whut's that?"
The boy pointed towards the haunter, as James smirked.
	"That's a ghost pokemon, a haunter.  You wanna battle?"
	"Sure!  I saw ya so we gotta, that's the rules right?!"
	"Hah, right.  But uh, my ghost can stay out of this, she'll just watch."
	"Whysat?"
	"She's too high-levelled, don't wanna wreck anyone too easy, I got some youngsters here in my belt who'd be more than happy to give you an ass-whupping."
	"Oh yer ON old-timer!"
	"Old-timer!?  I'm freaking thirty!"
	"Yeah, yer old enough to be my dad!  Come on, let's fight!"
Quickly grabbing for Spike's ball, James readied himself for his first proper battle, waiting to see what his opponent brought out in turn.  Both of them threw their balls out almost simultaneously, crying out:
	"WEEDLE, GO!"
	"SPIKE, COME ON OUT!"
As both pokeballs opened up, they revealed their opponents.  Fighting in front of James' kakuna, was another weedle, the raptor smiling beneath his human disguise.
	"Well now, this is interesting.  You think your little worm can break through my boy's hide?"
	"You just watch!  Weedle, Poison Sting!"
Due to the slower speed of the kakuna's natural state, Spike was struck first by a poisonous jab of the boy's weedle, which while strong did not do much to deter or even poison the cocoon.  James retaliated back with an order to sting hard, the kakuna responding with his own poison sting by means of shooting a stinger from his body.  It hit with absolute precision, striking the weedle hard but not poisoning him.  The very limitation of what both pokemon could do was both a strength and weakness to James' tactics.
Occasionally the two would exchange blows, never really poisoning each other to any great effect with their species' natural venom.  Other times the bug hunting boy would try to command his charge to use string shots of silk, which was useless considering Spike's newfound lack of agility already keeping him slow to react every turn.  Eventually, the more resilent kakuna would win, and the boy's weedle soon fell to one too many stings.
Yet the boy was not out yet, and brought out his second pokemon into the fray.  This time, it was a caterpie.  While James was more eager to fight the non-poisonous bug, he was worried about Spike having already taken quite a beating.  Yet there was a fire in the strange cocooned black eyes that made him want to chance it.
	"Hang in there Spike, you ain't out yet, poison him good!"
	"Nah-uh!" said the kid.  "Caterpie, tackle 'im!"

The caterpie acted first, suddenly picking up an unnatural speed for a caterpillar as it tackled straight into Spike's body, slamming and knocking him over.  The cocoon did not seem to be particularly bothered by its new position, and simply seethed with scorn deep in its eyes.  James returned the stare, agreeing that this little bug was a nuisance now.  The kakuna simply rolled itself back up, standing as it were upon its pointed bottom carapace before it shot out a poisonous sting.  It did the trick just fine in wounding the caterpie.
The battle raged on within the span of achingly slow minutes, to the point that James started feeling as if he was being hit by string shots too.  The caterpie was quick, but not resilient, whereas Spike was slow but sturdy in shooting out his poison barbs over and over again.  Yet James knew he would run out eventually, he would have to recharge his energy before long.  Thankfully however the caterpie could not last against enough of the insect venom, and keeled over with a twitching whimper.
	"Awwww!" said the boy with dismay.  "I lost!  Nnnngh, I knew I shoulda trained 'im up better."
	"Heh, sorry kid," said FG, "but that was a good fight!  You're not bad at this."
	"Really?"
	"Yeah you know your bugs well, you even got one of each so something's gonna happen when they evolve right?"
	"Hehe, right!  That was pretty fun though mister, here."
The boy walked forwards and offered some change from his pocket, a pile of small coins.
	"That's half, rules are rules."
	"...awwww...I dunno."
	"Huh?"
	"I don't feel right taking money from a kid."
	"But...that's the rules!  I lost, you get half my money!"
	"Yeah but...ugh man I feel like a bully."
	"What's wrong?" asked the boy.
	"I know this whole thing about taking half the loser's money and all, that'd be KINDA okay with a grown-up but...listen."
James closed the boy's fist and pushed the money away from him.
	"Let's not count this fight huh?  You train your guys better, get 'em healed, go grind and fight some other kid and win.  I got enough money without taking this."
	"But, the rules, I-"
	"Pfft so what, you're a kid, why do you care about rules?"
	"...but...I could get in trouble if I don't give you half my money after battle, that's what they said about trainers."
	"...what battle?"
He winked at the boy who smirked softly at this little rebellion, before explaining:
	"If there was a battle SURE some poor sap would lose half their money...but I never had a fight with you, I just took out two bugs nearby, right?"
	"Uh...r-right."
	"Nobody else saw it...nobody else knows it.  But uh, just to warn ya in case, if we ever do fight someday, I WILL be taking half.  So you better not suck alrighty?"
	"Haha, sure!  Hey, what's yer name?!"
	"Uhhh James.  You?"
	"I'm Rick!"
	"Hah, alright Rick, see ya around.  Train those bugs good alright?!"
	"Okay, thanks old-timer!"
Cackling into the forest, the raptor walked away with Kirie at his side, smiling with green humanised eyes lighting up at his small act of charity, the ghost asking:
	Why are you not adhering to the rules?
	"Because I hate taking money from kids."
	You would have earned it lawfully as the victor in battle.
	"I said next time I would, just...not now.  He was a nice kid, I just wanted to give him a bit of a boost."
	You are not a bully, I will say now.
	"Why you say that?"
	A bully would not risk his life for the things you have done.
	"So?  That doesn't give me the right to basically beat up his bugs and take his lunch money."
	But-
	"Hey.  Gimme this once okay?  If there's some punkass who tries to do the same, I'll take his money.  But not a nice kid like him okay?  Kids have enough in their lives in trying to start out without getting kicked down in the dirt and having their stuff taken from them.  Maybe an adult can handle that, but I won't do that to a kid unless he's a dick."
	You have much to learn about the resilience of children in this world James.
	"Well until I do, give me this at least, okay?"
	Very well.  Shall we continue training before we head on to Pewter Gym?
	"Yes we shall.  Red seems really worried about that place, is it that bad?"
	It is the first true obstacle of any young trainer's journey.  If one cannot obtain the Pewter City Gym badge, then it will be quite the struggle for them to attain further their rights as a Pokemon Trainer.
	"Right...hokay, maybe we need to do something a liiiittle different besides kicking bugs around."
	And that is?
	"...personal training."
The raptor smiled as his illusion faded away, safe within the darker reaches of the Viridian Forest.  He was starting to feel at last that he would become the master, instead of the student that he had been for so long to several others.  He just hoped that whatever methods he would use would suit well for his growing team.